The inaugural Sound Safari
March 3rd 2010 21:39
SOUND SAFARI
OFF TO A ROARING START
The inaugural Sound Safari kicked off last Friday at Melbourne Zoo, and by all accounts, it’s going to be one for the history books. The boutique festival, organised by the increasingly prolific Illusive Entertainment and The Frontier Touring Company, became the largest ever concert at the iconic location with the remaining few hundred tickets snapped up at the door – piling in a full house of 3,500 people onto the lush lawns in the heart of the Zoo.
Under the scorching sun on a 34 degree afternoon, punters lounged on picnic blankets across the expansive gardens while being treated to performances by an all-star line-up of Australian hip-hop and soul acts. Katalyst and Steve Spacek’s latest project, Space Invadas, commenced proceedings before Diafrix, True Live and Lowrider ignited the stage amongst the picture perfect surroundings. Hometown hero Phrase and his full live band welcomed the night sky with the increasingly lively and by then capacity crowd, which now featured a 2,500-strong mosh pit in front of another thousand sprawled on rugs across the back of the lawns.
Anticipation had reached boiling point for the night’s headliner, Lupe Fiasco, who exploded onto the stage with new hit Shining Down before launching into a seemingly never-ending catalogue of modern classics – from the career launching Kick, Push to the epic Superstar. In between tracks, Lupe made reference to the amazing setting of Sound Safari time and time again, while his enthusiasm seemed to amplify with every passing song as if he was being won over along with everyone else. With the crowd in the grasp of his hand, he teed up the finale to a blockbuster evening with Paris, Tokyo before hitting the ball out of the park with an electrifying rendition of Food and Liquor highlight Daydreamin’.
Since Friday, the blogosphere has been overflowing with praise for the unique event (as seen below) and speculation on a follow-up to the remarkable launch has already begun. If the first Sound Safari was an experiment, it’s one that has passed with absolute flying colours and breathed some much needed fresh-air into the Australian festival landscape.
“With the festival in its inaugural year, the organisers of Sound Safari struck gold in calling on Lupe's services as their debut headliner. With lions and elephants just a stone throw away from the stage, this show was like nothing else. Serene and breathtaking in its setting and explosive in it's atmosphere thanks to it's spectacular headliner, Sound Safari is well and truly here to stay.” Lupend
“The Melbourne Zoo was a great backdrop for Lupe Fiasco to perform and Melbourne turned on an amazing night, clear skies, full moon and a nice warm 28 degrees.” JeremyElliot.com
“The setting of a small intimate stage, surrounded by lions, elephants and all other manners of exotic animals at the Melbourne Zoo made for one very special, very memorable performance by the king of cool himself – Lupe Fiasco. It was just an incredible show. Filled with so much energy and reciprocated love and appreciation. Just pure awesome. As one of the lines from his hit track Superstar says: ‘All the reviewers say “You need to go and see that”’. I’m about to join the rest of the reviewers around the world. Really. You need to go and see that.” MyVision.com.au
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